Seattle Seahawks' latest free agency departure will fuel speculation of a massive imminent signing

The Seattle Seahawks saw one of their recent first-round picks Jordyn Brooks bid farewell to the team on Monday as he agreed a deal with the Miami Dolphins. 

Brooks, the 27th overall pick of the Seahawks in the 2020 draft, is set to sign a three-year, $30 million deal with the Dolphins, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

His departure is not much of a surprise given the change in coaching staff, with Mike MacDonald, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, taking over from Pete Carroll.

Brooks' departure, in an offseason in which the Seahawks have also allowed veteran Bobby Wagner to test the market, will fuel talk that Seattle will be in the mix to sign Patrick Queen, the former Ravens linebacker who thrived under MacDonald last season, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors.

A strong pass rushing linebacker who has 11 sacks in his last two seasons, Queen improved in coverage in 2023 as his partnership with Roquan Smith blossomed, his yards per reception average allowed of 8.3 the best of his career. Queen gave up an average of just 5.8 yards per attempt, 13th best among all linebackers, albeit inferior to Brooks (5.4).

There is a case to be made that Brooks and Queen could have formed a potentially impressive duo at an area that has long been a weakness for Seattle.

But there is obviously a familiarity between MacDonald and Queen that does not exist with Brooks. On top of that, Queen was part of a Ravens defense that frustrated the San Francisco 49ers' passing game on Christmas Day last season. The Seahawks have lost five straight games to the Niners, including the postseason, with their linebacking corps continually tormented by the motions and play-action fakes that are a staple of the San Francisco offense.

With the likes of Quandre Diggs and Jamal Adams being released by Seattle before the NFL's negotiating window opened, it's clear it's a fresh start on defense for the Seahawks. That also means a fresh start for Brooks, whose exit could facilitate a move that would greatly excite the Seattle fanbase.